After a year’s hiatus due to COVID the Adam Ward Classic returned last weekend and was a big success. The event featured 11 basketball games in about 30 hours time at Glenvar High School, raising money for the Adam Ward Scholarship Fund and providing area fans with some exciting games.
“This past weekend was such a wonderful experience for everyone involved,” said Salem High teacher and VHSL basketball official Grant Smythers of the Adam Ward Classic committee. “ First of all, I would like to thank Dr. Corie Franklin (principal at Glenvar High School) and Jason Murray (athletic director at Glenvar High School) for allowing us to host the Adam Ward Classic at Glenvar High School this year. The entire weekend was a huge success, from Friday night’s Salem versus Glenvar rivalry games to Saturday’s standing room only crowd.
“The Ward Family was overwhelmed by the generosity shown from those who attended the event once again this year. We would like to thank our sponsors who provided both monetary and food donations for our event as well.”
The games were held at Glenvar since renovations continuing at Salem High School. The event started on Friday as Salem High and Glenvar met on the court in games for both girls and boys, jayvee and varsity. The Spartans swept the jayvee games, played in the middle school gym, while the two schools split the varsity games, with the Salem girls and Glenvar boys prevailing.
The girls opened the show with a 47-42 win over the Highlanders. Glenvar had a 23-21 lead at the half and it was all tied up at 41-41 after three quarters before a strong finish by the Spartan girls.
“A tough win on the road against a good team,” said Salem coach Scott Jester. “We didn’t shoot it all that well but we were able to get stops in the fourth quarter when we needed them.”
Kennedy Scales and Summer Bayne had 15 points each to lead the Spartans while My’la Green had a dozen. Bayne also grabbed a dozen rebounds.
Glenvar’s Ryhan Harris was high for the game with 21 points, including 15 of Glenvar’s 17 points in the second half as she kept the Highlanders in the game. Savana Luper had a couple three-pointers and finished with eight while McKenzie Harris had seven points.
In the boys’ game the Highlanders got a measure of revenge with an 81-70 win over the Spartans. It was a back and forth game, as Glenvar started strong and led 27-19 after the first quarter as Stephen Barber scored 16 first quarter points. Salem then turned the tables on the Highlanders, winning the second period 27-14 to take a 46-41 halftime lead.
The third period was all Glenvar. The Highlanders outscored Salem 24-7 to take control and held on down the stretch for the win. Stephen Barber finished with 24 points, including the 1,000th of his high school career, while Aiden Alexander had 18 for Glenvar and Christian Housh had a dozen. For Salem, Hunter Bayne had 17, Chase Greer had 14 and Tanner Dallas had 12.
“It’s always fun to take part in the Adam Ward Classic and especially to play against Salem,” said Glenvar coach Cliff Bordewisch. “Coach (Salem’s Kevin) Garst and I spoke before the season about possibly making this a home and home situation each year. It’d be nice to play the cross town team in our own building each year. The weekend was a great atmosphere for basketball.”
On Saturday it was more hoops, and all day. The seven game slate started with Page Moir’s North Cross team defeating Liberty, coached by former Salem High assistant David Williams, 55-38. Salem resident Nick Owen had 16 for the Raiders.
After that William Fleming beat Liberty Christian Academy in an exciting overtime game, 53-51, followed by the only girls’ game of the day, a 59-31 Carroll County win over Spotswood. The Cavaliers improved to 19-1 on the season with the victory.
Next up was the Patrick Henry boys against West Point, with the Patriots prevailing 66-51, followed by Roanoke Catholic over Auburn, 70-49.
The 6:45 pm game was likely the best one of the day as 18-1 Cave Spring took on 14-5 Lord Botetourt. The Cavaliers led for much of the way, but Cave Spring rallied down the stretch to tie the game at 63-63. After a steal the Knights worked the clock down before former Salem Spartan Owyn Dawyot drilled a corner three for the Knights for a 66-63 Cave Spring win before a packed house. All the seats were filled and folks were lined up along the wall under the basket and peeking through the doors from the hallway to catch a glimpse.
The final game of the day had Northside improving to 18-2 with a 73-57 win over Radford, who fell to 11-4. Both teams showed up with white uniforms so Radford borrowed Glenvar’s green set for the game, and that found former Highlander Landon Clark, who transferred to Radford a couple seasons ago, back in green again. Clark led Radford with 20 points while wearing the Highlander threads.
The event was a great tuneup for the coming post-season, which is fast upon us. The River Ridge District tournament will begin Friday at the sites of the higher seeds, but only the top four teams are included. Salem’s girls should be in it but the boys will not. The region will include eight of the 11 teams in Region 4D with the girls a lock and the Salem boys on the bubble as the regular season concludes.
Both Salem teams finish the regular season this week with three games. The girls won a squeeker over Blacksburg in Salem Monday night, 41-39, then dropped an 86-56 game at Pulaski Tuesday. The girls are now 15-6.
Meanwhile, the Salem boys lost at Blacksburg Monday, 55-33, but rallied for a 53-47 win over Pulaski on Senior Night in Salem Tuesday. Hunter Bayne had a season-high 25 points and Dallas had 12 as Salem upped its record to 8-12.
Both Salem teams were scheduled to end the regular season Wednesday against Patrick Henry, with the boys at home and the girls at PH.
The Three Rivers District does not have a district tournament, so Glenvar’s teams are headed right to the Region 2C event after finishing up the regular season. The girls are at Radford on Thursday while the Highland boys play at Radford on Friday and at Alleghany next Tuesday, February 15.
Glenvar’s boys played at Floyd on Tuesday night and took a 77-68 win behind Barber’s 29 points. With the win Glenvar improved to 14-6 and both the Highlander boys and girls will open Region 2C play next Friday, February 18.